


Lighten the Load

by boppgoestheweasel



Series: the dadschlatt collection [17]
Category: Dream SMP - Fandom, Video Blogging RPF
Genre: Angst, DadSchlatt, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Hurt/Comfort, I don't think so?, Implied/Referenced Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Rated for swearing, Tubbo needs a hug, a bit domestic, hell even schlatt needs a hug, maybe ooc?, no beta we die like men, schlatt is trying his best, teen tubbo, tubbo is scolded for grades, uncle quackity
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-02
Updated: 2021-02-02
Packaged: 2021-03-13 00:29:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,987
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29144490
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/boppgoestheweasel/pseuds/boppgoestheweasel
Summary: Tubbo isn’t stupid. He knows what’s going on with his dad. But for the old man’s sake, he acts oblivious.
Relationships: Alexis | Quackity & Jschlatt, Alexis | Quackity & Toby Smith | Tubbo, Jschlatt & Toby Smith | Tubbo, No Slash - Relationship
Series: the dadschlatt collection [17]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2080011
Comments: 32
Kudos: 319





	Lighten the Load

**Author's Note:**

> hello again! this was a suggestion from an unknown user,,, but you know who you are!! i hope you enjoy :) i love writing arguments-
> 
> any requests/suggestions? leave them in the comments below! 9 times out of 10 I'll write them; they also don't have to be dadschlatt! 
> 
> As always, my stories are based on the characters portrayed in the SMP roleplay, never the real people! However, if any CCs mentioned are uncomfortable with anything I've written, it will be deleted immediately.

Tubbo isn’t stupid. Most people, when they see a 14 year old, think that they are still oblivious to the horrors of the world, that they don’t have a handle on their feelings, that they aren’t  _ smart. _ In some aspects, that’s true, considering Tubbo never claimed to know  _ everything.  _ But he definitely knew more than he let on.

He knew his mother left without a trace pretty much before he was born- yes, maybe she gave birth, but she was already far gone before he let out his first cry. She might’ve been present, but  _ she  _ wasn’t  _ there.  _ He didn’t even know her name, and quite frankly, he was sure that his dad didn’t either.

He knew that they had lived in poverty since he was a tiny baby. He knew his dad struggled with him as a kid, and he knew that he still continued to struggle sometimes. His dad knew that he knew this.

What his dad  _ didn’t  _ know was that Tubbo knew about all of his terrible habits. His drinking, his occasional smoking. 

Almost every morning, Schlatt would come from his room to Tubbo, who was sitting at the dining table eating breakfast before he left for school.

_ “Another headache dad?” Tubbo asked amidst the cereal in his mouth. _

_ “Ugh, yeah, yeah.” Schlatt held his head as he swayed on his feet. _

_ “Your pills and water are on the counter. I got them out for you again.” _

_ “Oh perfect, perfect.”  _

_ Tubbo sat in silence, not mentioning that he had seen the bottle on the counter that Schlatt had accidentally left out the night before. Tubbo had thrown it out before he went to sleep, not wanting his dad to be embarrassed of his mistake. He knew he tried to hide it from him.  _

It was a natural cycle now- Tubbo woke up, got ready, went downstairs and checked to make sure there were no bottles left around the house for him to see. He set pain pills and a glass of water on the kitchen counter and nothing else was ever said.

He’ll never forget the first time he had put the pieces together. Considering he was only 13 at the time, he wouldn’t have known that the smell that reeked off his dad was that of alcohol. Not until someone at school told him. He had asked Tommy, his best friend, about all of it, to which the boy had grimaced. 

_ “Yeah… that’s alcohol, Tubbo. I didn’t want to tell you because I really do like your old man, but he needs help.”  _

That’s when Tubbo started noticing the bottles that he might not have noticed before. Carelessly placed in the sick or left on the table while his dad was passed out in his room. They had a house bigger than the one Tubbo grew up in- Quackity helped them buy it a couple summers ago. So yes, maybe Schlatt had better hiding spots for his drinks, but that didn’t stop a drunk man from leaving his shit all over the place.

_ Tubbo was left at Quackity’s while his dad went to get something from the store for the small group to share for dinner. Tubbo sat in uncomfortable silence, because just the other day, the huge bomb was dropped on him. _

_ “Are you okay bud? You look sick.” _

_ “Is my dad gonna die, Q?”  _

_ Quackity was taken aback. _

_ “Why… why do you ask?” _

_ “I know he’s an alcoholic. I know he is. I see the bottles, I smell it, and everyone at school seemed to know except me. How does that work?” Tubbo kept the tears lining his brown eyes at bay. _

_ “Ah. Uh, well, that is true, yes.” Quackity shifted uncomfortably. “Does he know you know?” _

_ “No, I could never tell him. He does too much to keep it all a secret. It would devastate him… I don’t want him thinking I think he’s a deadbeat.” _

_ Quackity laughed. “He would definitely think that, you’re right. Your dad overthinks shit too much.” _

_ “What do I do?” _

_ “I wish I knew, buddy. He needs help… trust me, I know. He’ll accept it when he’s ready.” _

_ Tubbo leaned into Quackity’s embrace and sobbed.  _

Despite the terrible scent coming from his dad, the boy never ceased to hug him. He would always tell him he loved him, he would hug him tight, give him head-butts, all that stuff. Did he scrub a bit hard in the shower to rid himself of the old cigarette smoke and alcohol smell? Maybe, but he never thought twice about that. He also never told his dad that he was wearing a bit too much cologne to mask the wretched stench. And all of this stuff was normal to Tubbo.

At least until… it wasn’t.

No, he still never said anything about it all, but now things were just a bit different. Not in a bad way, necessarily, but Tubbo just couldn’t stop thinking about how his dad could be drinking while he’s in his room sleeping soundly. His dad very obviously needed help, but there was nothing he could say or do about the situation. How was his dad even still alive?

Could he die any day? Any moment?

“Hey kid, we need to have a chat.”

It was after school one day, and Tubbo had been daydreaming at the kitchen table again while he was trying to do his homework. As his dad said this, he felt a warmth wash over him. What did they need to have a chat about? His stomach dropped and he suddenly felt very sick and nervous. Had he said something by accident? Did his dad hear him crying a couple nights before about how he wished his dad would receive help for once?

“Oh uh, sure dad. What about?” Tubbo tried to maintain his no-stutter streak. He didn’t want to bring unwanted attention to his anxiety; his dad would ask about it then.

“Well, the school semester ended last week, as I’m sure you’re aware.”

_ Oh. It’s about school. _

Tubbo felt his nerves relax a bit. “Yes. Yes I am.”

“Okay, then I’m sure you’re aware of what this conversation is about.” Schlatt held up a folded piece of yellow paper. 

“My… report card?” Tubbo looked from his dad’s face to the paper. “Um, I-I don’t-”

“You know I’m lenient on grades, because I could care less, honestly. The school system here is fucked anyway. I don’t believe that academic skills define a person’s being, but…,” Schlatt spoke calmly and a bit firm as he set the paper, now unfolded, unto the table in front of Tubbo, for both of them to see. 

“All F’s?”

Tubbo felt his jaw clench at his dad’s words. They were laced with concern and disappointment. 

“How did this even happen? Last year you passed with flying colors… straight A’s-” When Schlatt noticed his kid was shaking a bit, he put out a hand. “Hey, which I  _ don’t  _ really care about, but you can understand how this is a big, concerning contrast, right?”

Tubbo nodded, biting the inside of his cheek.

“What’s going on? Are kids being dicks to you at school again? I’m not afraid to step in, you know that.”

“No, no. No it’s… it’s not like that.” Tubbo willed his voice to remain steady. “I just get distracted.”

“Like you did with yesterday’s homework, it seems?” Schlatt’s eyes flicked down to the paper that Tubbo was  _ trying  _ to complete. He was right… it  _ was _ yesterday’s homework. The stuff from today was underneath it.

Tubbo just nodded, looking down at his paper.

“Listen, I’m not trying to scold you, you know I don’t do that shit. But this is just… it kinda sucks, doesn’t it?”

“Why do you care about my grades all of a sudden? You were just saying how you  _ didn’t  _ care.”

“And I don’t! But this is just concerning, considering you’ve been quite the little honor student. I’ve never had to worry about your grades, but now that they’re kinda falling apart-”

_ Other things are falling apart around here.  _ “I dunno, it’s just a bit tough right now.”

“Is it because you’ve been going to Tommy’s house more? Tubbo, school comes before friends.”

“This doesn’t even sound like you! Why do you sound so… authoritative?” Tubbo shot his gaze up to meet Schlatt’s. The man wasn’t drunk, for once.

“What do you mean? I’m trying my best here, kid.”

“Yeah well, so am I.”

“This piece of paper says differently. Something is up Tubbo, and I know it is.  _ This  _ isn’t like  _ you.” _

“Why? Because you’re not shitfaced for once?”

The room fell silent- deathly silent. As if someone had just shot off a gun and the bullet that came from it hit one of their bodies. 

“You’re finally noticing that shit is going downhill?” Tubbo’s eyes watered. “Those reports came in  _ last week.  _ Why are you just now asking me about them? Oh yeah, it’s cause you’re always at your job, or drunk, or out, or  _ something!” _

Tubbo wanted to slap his hand over his mouth when a gut wrenching sob ripped out of his throat. He sucked in a breath.

“Me and Q know how damn stubborn you are. We just… we care about you, dad! We want you-” Tubbo gasped. “We want you to get help!”

“Tubbo, how-”

“It all just clicked. At once. I have no idea how you hid it for so long. I don’t know how I didn’t know.” 

Schlatt just watched his son with sad eyes.

“I think about it so much. Our lives. Everything just makes sense. And now you’re over here telling me I’m a disappointment-”

“I  _ never  _ said that. I would never say that. Because it’s not true.” Schlatt raised his voice above Tubbo’s. “I’m not mad at you. Why would I be mad? We all royally fuck up… I wouldn’t even consider your grades a fuck-up. I just wanted to help you.”

“Why? Why does it matter so much? You already have so many problems!”

“Because I don’t want you to end up like me!”

Again, there was that silence.

“Getting some chick knocked up at 17… being handed a baby at 18. Having no one besides a few other kids your age help you. God… it was actual shit, Tubbo.

“I want you to succeed in life. I want you to be something, and not some deadbeat dad. You just… you just explained all my worst qualities. Confirmed my flaws.”

Tubbo’s eyes stung with tears as he wrung his hands together. “Dad, you… you’re not shit. You t-try your best. That’s all that matters, right?” 

Schlatt looked up to his kid- they were both sitting at the table now.

“That we try our best?” Tubbo smiled.

Schlatt returned a small smile as well. “Yeah. That we try our best. But I could do better. We wouldn’t be having this conversation if I would just get help.” No, the family didn’t have the funds for therapeutic help, but he could at least seek help from his friends.

“Sometimes life is shit, but I mean, always prioritize yourself before me, Tubbo. It’s important that you do.”

Tubbo shot up and ran to hug his dad, who was a bit surprised at the sudden movement. 

“I just don’t want you to  _ die.”  _ Tubbo’s voice was muffled as he spoke into his dad’s embrace. 

Tubbo had his eyes clenched shut, but eventually he felt a hand be placed on his head- a gentle hand. One that was so familiar through his years of life. 

“How long did you know?” 

“Huh?” Tubbo looked up at his dad, who looked like he had been crying too.

“How long have you known about… that shit.”

“Um, a while. I just didn’t want  _ this  _ to happen. Because for what it’s worth, you really aren’t that bad.”

Schlatt knew it was worse than he let on. “Right, right.”

**Author's Note:**

> i hope this was comprehensible! I really really loved the prompt,,, i just hope i executed it up to par! thank you for reading!
> 
> any requests/suggestions? leave them in the comments! oh and uh, between you and me? I kinda wanna start another series next to this one! ofc while still writing this one, I'll work on that one as well! leave me any ideas of what it should be about in the comments! <3  
> (you can also dm me on instagram! @boppdizzle :) )


End file.
